1313, W. >. T.y«t
HORACE GREELEY KEESLING, Editor.
HHPAKTMKNT KtHTORil
Mamurl ie. Kalaoa. Htata Inapeitor
er Haiti«-» Hatty nil<i j . i » o Hto.-k
linilaerlae lltialai» I »lh«r Children'«
A FORESTRY BOARD.
FARM ADVISORS NOT NEW.
Domestic Science Traveling Schools
Are Also Doing Good Work in Belgium.
A Profitable and Dosirabl« Addition to
County Government.
OIt 30 years Belgium has sent
agricultural experts out through
Its rural districts to ietu-h farm
ers how to retain the fertility of th«-
soil, as well as cultural methods that
will enublo th«-m to raise the largest
and best crops.
CONTHiaVTOHUi
■AH California I forticuliural Commi«-
In Belgium this plan became Im
■loners.
perative
ns tho population had grown
Fdwar<| lirrwl.'lc I’arlflc «Irova.
In numbers eequal to the acres of
Jloiiry J. Marehall
” A Craft». Oak lutiti
farming land.
John Y. lirai/. Hanta llrnu.
In addition to this advisor system
Howaril C Kegley. Hnw Iella,
they also had traveling «« bools to In
l'aro/ I. Edward*
struct th«- farm girls In domestic
Philip Hand«-reon.
Allea Bancroft.
science, evidently recogntxlng the fart
that It Would bo quite as Important
The Editor of the Farmer invitee
rorieepon<1«>nee from any trailer upon that th«- crops bo used with economy
any subject that may intereat coun and offl« lency tn the farm homes us
try propio, or have a bearing up Im that th«- «tuantlty be increased.
provement of «ondinone In rural life
While we Americans hope to «•••<! th«-
All department« of itila paper are
open for the approval or dleapprovai ut day when our l«oy« may be gruduate«!
Ita render» and a free eipr«<»«lon of from our public s< hools amply qual-
opinion le Invited.
in«-d to begin to farm, and our girls
as « til« lent houaeke« yers, until that
time arrives wo must use su« h m-ans
THE RICE INDUSTRY SPREADING.
as may tie obtainable and practical, to
help them Io an Intelligent discharge
It« Culture May Eventually Do Possible
of their duties.
in Many Parte of California.
There art- half a million farm women
In Belgium. Th«-y have organised "clr-
PPARENTLY 5000 acre« of rice <-l«-s" for self education and Improve
will Im sown In Fresno, Kluge, ment and have proven to bo great stu
Tulare and K«-rn countl«w the dents. looking eagerly for anything
coming aeaaon. Home very rich land that may h-ip them In their work.
The scejects for discussion are
la being found around the lake« Juat
nulled to ri<r culture. It la safe to numerous. some of them being, "Gsn-
pedlct that a tryout of land« thought eral Agri« jlturc,” "Quallths of Farms
to l>«> suitable for rice culture will un an«i P'arm Work," "A Day's Work on
cover conditions favorable and un the Farm," "Poultry liaising." "Dairy
favorable to Its growth. In some lo ing." "Hygiene," "Duties of Mothers,"
cations tho presence of a hardpan a ami "Farm Women's I tress."
it Is safe to assume that any nation
few feat below the aurface will facil
itate the holding of tvater at the neces whl--h Interests Itself largely In such
sary depth. Thia may work out well topics will never degenerate agricul
during th<> growing season, but Just turally.
what tho rffc« t will be when th«- Held»
must tie drained tn permit of harvest SCHOOL DISTRICT EXHIBITIONS.
ing will only be pros<-n by trial.
Th» finding of aultable soils for rice Should Be of Grost Benefit to Pupil«
in an Industrial and Business Way.
In a nurnb«-r of districts In California
la Interesting when c«»tnpar«M with the
history
of other products, orange
RATIFYING success lias been at
grow ing common tally was considered
tained by schools In exhibiting
for many years as practicable only in
their product* In gardening or
southern «'allfornla.
Potato growing
was attempt«-«! only along th«- rivers or mechanb al work at county fair« which
moist coast lands. Prunes wore thought has given school Industrial training a
of only In connection with Hants Clara well deserve«! "boost." and has en
valley, etc., but ns the yearn passed by couraged those who believe In and arc
other locations In this great state were working for Industrial credits In
found where all those crops would schools, to Increased efforts.
That the school credit for homo work
grow and produce abundantly.
No
section of t’allfornln may be said to svetem has worked wonders In many
enjoy a monopoly of uny product of schools am! hits been the menns of In
gr«ut Importance. h <> with rice grow teresting thi children in Industrial oc
ing. Tl.... nlon<- will till whin- the cupations has been amply proven.
To those then, who bell«-ve that In-
great rice fields of t'allfornla will ho
found, an«l It Is even probable that Is terest In practical things will Improve
distribution over the stain may be the purll'a ability to grasp his school
come more general than la now con studies and will eventually graduate
him w ith a more efficient equipment for
sidered possible.
For the good of those interested In his life's work ns well as an armor to
raising rice It Is hoped that there will protect him from the follies and vices
bo no great rush Into the Industry, which nssnll youth, this matter of
but that It will have a st«««idyI hearty school exhibitions has great interest.
To exhibit at fairs only would seem
growth nn«l as free ns possible from
all setbacks. Also that no large acre to lx- Insufficient us they occur usually
age will «-ver be planted on land more but once eac h year, it would seem to
suitable and profitable fur other crops. be a much better plan to have exhibit
We are printing In this issue con ions often In order to k«*«-p the Interest
siderable rice Information which we warm.
This would tie particularly true If
trust will be Interesting to farmers
generally nn«l valuable to those now arrangements are made for sale of
engaged In growing rice ns well ns products as well as simply exhibiting
for prlxcs.
others who contemplate doing so.
In gardening for Instance, the pro
I
« ♦ . ■ —■
Making Birdhouse«—< me of the re ducts will be maturing nt various
sults of the movement to create In times «luring the year so that morn
terest among schoolchildren In th«* chances to exhibit and more chances
everyday things about the home la the to sell would se«-m very Imiwirtant.
Ths Business Sid« As the parents
making of birdhouses, placing them in
are
quite as Interested In this as the
trees or on poh-a, and wo arranged that
they may Jie examined. Aside from the tea*-hcra they should do all In their
benefit to the boy or girl from an In l ower to assist th«- teachers In making
dustrial standpoint, an Insight Into tho whole system attractive to tho
pupils nml profitable as well.
bird life may be obtained, nml II is
It would seem Imrosslble for a child
possible that from this beginning some
to
pass through the eight' grad«-» of a
practical way may be evolved to rid
the farm of birds which injure farm district school anti graduate without a
crops and protect those that are bene very good understanding of tho prac
tical aid«' of his school education, as
ficial.
well as a business experience obtained
by tho snle of hta products, which will
Spraying Sometimes Injurious The
fact that fruit trees arc sometimes In be of great value to him particularly
jured by spraying or fumigating Is ns he will not bo compelled to obtain
more often «lue to neglect In following It by friction with the world in th«'
directions than from any other cause. Ignorant condition that most of our
are In when graduated,
While our commissioner« are good men « schoolchildren
------ ■ --,♦«
and well versed In the control of fruit
Tree Planting in Contra Cost« More
peats It does not follow that they are
infallible for they are not, but no blame fruit trees nro being planted this sea
can attach to them when a grower In son in the Walnut creek and Coneord
jures his trees by not following direc districts th in ever before. Altogether
tions or usi s poor judgment In his tho outlook for coming years of pros
perity was never bi tter In that section.
work.
VERY county In «'allfornla should
have a forestry board with duties
as broad and various as the con
ditions of tree and plant growth In the
different counties will demand, or tho
intelllgen«'«- and efficiency of the mem
bers wll discourse to tie necessary; for
the protection of natural and cultlvat-
< <1 tr«s « and the planting w here deem
ed advisable of trees, shrubs an«! How
ers, as local conditions may deter
mine.
The law permitting the appointment
of a forestry Isiard In a county, was
drawn by Mr Nicholas Bowden of San
Jos« ut the request of the Outdoor Art
league, it is simple ami explicit in Its
provisions and has been observed with
sucrose by several counties.
Th«! law provide that the county
lioard of supervisors may appoint five
persons, one from each supcrvlsoral
district t«> constitute a county board
of forestry which shall serve without
psy. This board inay In turn appoint
a countv forester who will be the
working offl-la I and may be paid a
salary not to exceed 1160 per month:
not a large sum for one who is qual-
Wed to do th«- work properly.
• in the liaals of economy some boards
of supervisore have refused to appoint
a forestry t»oard, the different mem
bers taking It upon themselves to Irxik
after the planting and protection of
trees upon the highways; n very un
satisfactory method from the stand
point of those Interested In planting
of trees and other growing things for
the comfort of travelers and Ix-autinca-
tlon of the county in which they live.
In the meantime those counties
which are wide awake to their Interests
are prosecuting th«- .matter of tree
planting and general beautification
with vigor and are quite as vigorous
ly defending the natural growth of
trees upon the public highways and
county property, through the medium
of their forestry lioards and county
foresters, w-hllo those counties without
organized protection are losing stead
ily many fine trees am! are not en
couraging new plantings.
It would seem wise for every county
to have a forestry lioard from an ad
vertising standpoint If for no other
reason.
f « mo
laaada M. Miller lloina Dr«»«m*k-
Ing
*•«•««<«■ How ntaa llralaard Flower
ar><1 \'e<et;ib|n Gattleti
l.eroy V. Nraudl I'oultry and I’et
■ teck
M. <1. Kaaic Kerti-tnry Htale Com-
rt>l»»|on r,f Horticulture- «'ontrol of
i mt P m »
II. Monetar, At torna/■ at ■ la* w —
*a>gal Quarto«
.
F
A
G
E
CLEAN
CULTURE
AND
CROPS.
COVER
Let ths Weeds Grow and Also Sow
Cover Crops to Improvs ths Soil.
N object lesson In orchard prac
tice may be had In a drive about
any fruitgrowing district at this
time of tho year.
Forty years ago before the prune
planting craze swept over California
clean culture in deciduous orchards
was universal. Weeds of all kinds were
considered an aliominatlon and a vig
orous warfare was waged against them
in season and out. The fruitgrower
Whose lan«l was covered with green
growth even during the rainy season
was considered ‘ a i>a« k number and
lacking In the vigor and enterprise that
should cliaracterize a successful fruit
grower.
When shortly after the first rains in
October or November the sprouting
seeds Indicate a healthy wt-c-d crop, the
cultivator and s«imetlmes the plow was
used to destroy them.
Th«- orchard with a cover crop in
those days was the exception and
looked upon as either a case of neglect
on the part of the owner or very bad
orchard practice.
A rid«- through any California fruit
district in February now will reveal a
very different condition in the orchar«is
Clean culture In winter is now quite a-
exceptional as cover crops were in th«
early days of fruitgrowing. This con
dltion has been brought about mor«
from the observation and practical ex
pcriences of the growers than from
any acquired information from book
or agricultural colleges as to th
proper management of soils or crops.
When after a series of years of care
ful clean culture winter and summer,
the fruitgrower found that his land was
becoming dead cloddy, hard to work
and sometimes sour, he began to look
for a remedy.
I-lmlng helped some to soften the
clods, but the land did not l«xik right,
was lifeless and refused to produce a
crop of anything but nettles and other
worthless weeds.
While some were experiencing th-
above troubles others were learning
that a good heavy crop of weeds when
for nny reason they could not get thei
turned under until April always left
WHERE TO REPLANT.
the soil in a mellow and lively condi
tion.
Plant Where the Old Tree Stood and
An instance in point is of a ten-act
Not Elswhere.
on-hard which for good reasons was
left each year until March and pro
DVICE as to methods of replant duced a heavy crop of clover, wild oats,
ing In old orchards where from altlleria and other growth. The land
nny cause a tree had been remov was rather heavy but each year be
ed was in the earlier days of fruit came more friable and easy to work
until the contrast between it and land
growing Invariably to avubl planting
adjoining which had clean culture be
where the old tree stood but somewhere came so marked as to create an in
between.
quiry. The reason was easily arrived
The givers of this advice it is need at and resulted In a change of practice
less to say had not had much experi with others who were having trouble
ence with fruit-growIng or tree plant with stubborn or sour soil.
ing.
Tho facts are that the exact spot
A Com and Apple Show—Charlotte
from which an old tree has been re
Grange, Mich., held a successful show
moved Is the most favorable place to
in December In which corn and apples
start a young tree; fir»t, because only
vied for honors. The sisters served a
the large main roots of the tree have
supper and netted 350.
occupied that spnee for many years,
and they not not absorbing fertility
Using the Schoolhouse—The farmers
from the soil, it has had an opportuni
ty to recuperate. Second, the feeding of Southside school district, in San
roots of the trees occupy practically Benito county, have availed themselvo«
all of tho space between the rows ex of the law permitting the holding of
cept Immediately about the tree und public meetings in schoolhousx-s. and
have drawn heavily from its fertility. have enjoyed und no doubt profit«'«! by
By planting where th«' old tree stood listening to lectures by professors from
an opportunity may be had to fertilize agricultural schools, as well as taking
part In the discus-ion of questions of
the soil between the rows by the time
interest
to country people.
the roots of the young tree will need
It.
Plant Grspe Cuttings Late- -Experi
Other Points in Planting Without
doubt thousands of dead or badly In enced grapegrowers have found better
jured fruit trees Will be pulled or dug success with grap? cuttings when
out of California's orchards this sea planted rather late. If planted early
son, the cause being principally luck while the rains and cool weather are
of moistur«' th«> past two dry seasons. still on the ends of the cuttings do not
Where only an occasslonal tree is seem to callous Weil anil they do not
dead replanting will probably be «lone start readily. Cuttings may be kept in
at once, and tho advice given In a form perfect condition In eh an moist sand or
er issue "to plant only good tret's” sawdust.
should be het'ded religiously in re
planting with the very best trees to borers. One borer will kill a youag
start with, It is still Imperative that trec in a season.
special caro be given these-young trees
If a whol«' block of trees must I ti
for several years. They must not lack moved n good plan is to plow utepl.v
for moisture and mulching helps as and raise annual crops for s<-.«-r.il
th«' moisture Is retained ami the «rtirtli years before replanting.
kept cooler during tho hot summer
If a leguminous crop may be ral-ed
in winter and turned under in time to
days.
Also shading the trunk must be done plant, corn, squashes, tomatoes or other
to prevent sunburn and the InruuiU uf crops, so much the batter.
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